


Keeping Tabs

by Cyberfairie



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Adoribull - Freeform, Alternate Universe - Science Fiction, M/M, Non-Graphic Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-04
Updated: 2015-10-04
Packaged: 2018-04-24 17:19:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,235
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4928404
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cyberfairie/pseuds/Cyberfairie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is another Sunday Prompt that got away from me...I think I've lost all control of my own mind.<br/>Anyway, the original prompt was:<br/>Jupiter Ascending AU with Dorian as an Aegis cop/runaway Entitled, and Iron Bull as a mercenary who was spliced with Bull DNA, and I don’t have a plot or anything for this but someone roll with it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Keeping Tabs

**Author's Note:**

> Just a warning that there are about three lines of what could be called trans-phobic or trans-hating dialogue in the middle of the work. If something like that may trigger you, you might want to skip the flashback (which is all in italics).

Captain Pavus looked at the missive in his hand and wanted nothing so much as to drop the whole tablet in the incinerator and forget he ever saw it.  Unfortunately, since his personal assistant had been the one to bring it to his attention and the man was still standing right there in front of him, his options were limited.

“Open a portal to Epsilon Andromeda, go in dark and let me know when we’ve established orbit around Antiva,” he finally bit out, thrusting the tablet back into Erwin’s hands and leaving the bridge.

Dorian kept a stern look on his face as he moved through passageways toward the lifts and it did the job of discouraging any of the crewmen from actually speaking to him, though a few diehards did salute.  Once he was on the lift however he let his expression fall as he hit the button that would take him to his private quarters. 

When the lift dinged he stepped off into his quarters, thankful for a change that being Captain came with some perks.  As the lift doors closed behind him he headed for the small kitchen that stretched along one wall.  He wasn’t much for cooking, and with his schedule synth food just made more sense, but opening his small cooler he was happy to see the dark blue bottle of Imperial Whiskey sitting front and center.  Yet another small perk, none of that Bottelli crap here, only the best from the Tevinter system.

Pouring a generous splash into a glass he moved carried it to plush lounger that sat in front of his only window, dropping onto the buttery, soft wyvern skin before muttering, “Cremisius fucking Aclassi.”

Taking a far larger sip of his whiskey than a vintage this good deserved he leaned back against the lounger and closed his eyes.  He’d known from the first moment he set eyes on the kid he was going to be trouble, and not just because they were both from the Tevinter system.  Hard to believe it had been almost ten years since that fateful day.

 

 

_“So where are those dancing girls you promised me Kadan?”_

_Dorian rolled his eyes at his lover as he motioned with his hand for Bull to proceed him into the café.  “Forty eight hours leave and all you can think of is other women, I think I’m insulted Amatus.”_

_“Ah, I’m with you all the time,” Bull argued, then apparently thought twice about what he’d just said, because little frown lines appeared between his eyes.  “Shit, didn’t mean it like that.”_

_Dorian chuckled and pretended to ignore the pathetic look his lover was giving him.  If he didn’t know better he’d think his lover was a hybrid wolf with those sad puppy eyes.  “I see, next thing I know you’ll be trading…”_

_The scene that greeted them as they reached the top of the stairs stopped the words in Dorian’s throat.  Six men with the hard lines and top shelf weapons that screamed ‘merc’ to him had a smaller man on the ground, his blood already staining the floor of the café.  A quick glance told him whatever staff had been on duty were either hiding or down and with a resigned sigh he nudged Bull’s hand with his own._

_He had barely felt Bull’s answering nudge and had time to fade right before the huge man growled, “Those hardly look like fair odds.”_

_Six pairs of eyes shot up at Bull’s words, their single focus on him allowing Dorian to slip closer to the group from behind._

_“Don’t remember anyone asking you to the party ox man,” one of the men on the right growled, his hand moving toward his blaster.  “What do you say you just back on out of here and forget you ever saw us.”_

_“Afraid I can’t do that,” Bull sighed, a low groan coming from the man on the ground interrupting him for a moment.  “See, I happen to be a warrant officer with Aegis and I have a feeling you boys don’t have a valid warrant for that man.”_

_“Who?  This piece of shit?” The apparent leader scoffed, kicking the downed man in the ribs again and drawling a low growl of warning from Bull.  “This ain’t no man.  Just some bitch trying to play with the big boys.  We were sent to make sure she knows her place.  Now why don’t you go find somewhere else to drink officer and let us…”_

_The man didn’t get a chance to finish his sentence before Dorian’s glass knife sliced through his throat.  Then it was on.  Bull charged in, head down, and sent a horn through one man’s throat, his own blaster appearing almost instantly in his hand as he blew away a second attacker.  Dorian faded out and back in behind a fourth, knives glowing with their fire enchantment as he took on a fellow magekin who apparently chose to work with ice if the blue cast to his swords was any indication._

_Apparently seeing the writing on the wall the sixth attacker had his blaster aimed at the victim.  Bull threw himself towards the man, the pair of them careening into the middle of Dorian’s fight with the magekin.  Sensing an opportunity the magekin reversed his sword, thrusting it behind him as Bull fell, the sword tip plunged into Bull’s eye before tearing a deep groove down his cheek._

_“Bull,” Dorian cried as he watched his lover hit his knees with a tortured cry and with a growl of fury Dorian turned to the last two attackers, slicing them into ribbons that would make any identification of them in the future almost impossible._

_Eyes darting around the room again to make certain there were no more mercs hiding in corners Dorian dropped down beside his lover, grasping Bull’s chin and gently raising his head to look at him.  It was obvious at a glance that the eye was gone and the look on Bull’s face said he knew it, but they needed to get him to a med center to have that cheek repaired.  “You’ll look dashing with a patch Amatus,” Dorian finally managed to bite out, his tone less sure than he would have liked._

_“What the fuck did you do that for?”_

_The new voice was deep and incredulous and both men turned to find the merc’s victim raised up on his elbow glaring at them.  It was only when Dorian heard the man’s accent, remarkably even stronger Tevene than his own, that Dorian understood what the merc’s had been talking about.  There was only one planet in the Tevinter system that held to the old ways.  “Let me guess, you’re from Minrathous.”_

_“I’m not going back,” the man scowled, forcing himself to a sitting position with one arm, the other bent at an impossible angle behind him.  “Don’t think you can make me.”_

_Fuck, for all Dorian cared the man could sit right there on the café floor until he expired from hunger.  If it wasn’t for him Bull wouldn’t now be sitting here missing an eye, and a relief pilot with only one eye wasn’t any good to Aegis.  Venhedis, this was supposed to be a vacation._

_“No one’s gonna turn you in boy,” Bull muttered, his own words laced with pain._

_“Bull…”_

_“I said no one Dorian.”_

_“Don’t make promises you can’t keep Bull, we don’t even know his name,” Dorian growled, standing and reaching a hand out to his lover._

_“True enough,” Bull grinned, then turned his attention toward the man on the floor.  “So, what’s your name kid?”_

_The man looked from Bull to Dorian then back several times before finally accepting Bull’s hand and rising, his knees almost buckling beneath him.  Still holding tight to Bull’s arm the man finally whispered, “Cremisius Aclassi.”_

_Dorian was quite certain his surprise showed on his face, without a doubt both men heard his rapidly indrawn breath.  “Fasta vass, as in the Aclassi Technologies heir?”_

_“Not anymore,” Cremisius growled, only to moan in pain a moment later, his eyes beginning to water._

_“Didn’t know you could just give up shit like that,” Bull chuckled, letting the younger man lean heavily on him as they all started toward the stairs._

_“You can’t,” Dorian hissed behind them._

_“Too many obligations,” Cremisius explained as if Dorian hadn’t even spoken.  “I don’t need ‘em.”_

_“Maybe not, but you do need a medic,” Bull answered, careful to take the steps one at a time so Cremisius could keep up._

_“Talk about needing a medic,” the younger man chided, “don’t think they’ll be able to save that eye.”_

_“Naw, it’s gone.”_

_The three of them had fallen silent at that.  After all, what else was there to say?  The saving of a life required a sacrifice and Bull had paid it in spades.  Both Bull and Cremisius had been checked into the hospice overnight, the med staff wanting to make certain neither of them ended up with complications and so it had fallen on Dorian to go back to the Kirkwall and explain the pile of bodies he and Bull had left in the café._

_After spending most of the night being debriefed and signing his warning letter for needlessly endangering Aegis property, namely he and Bull, Dorian was finally able to port back down to the hospice.  It was stupid, but after the severity of the battle the day before Dorian couldn’t seem to shake the feeling that when he got back to Bull the larger man would be gone, so it was with a grateful sigh that he finally reached Bull’s room and stepped into find the man reclining on the bed with his eyes closed.  “Amatus?”_

_Bull’s eyes shot open, his soft smile at odds with the stark white bandages that covered the left side of his face.  “Kadan, I was beginning to think I’d lost you.”_

_“Naww, Captain Hawke just had a million and one questions for me.  Turns out he takes destruction of Aegis property very seriously,” Dorian muttered, closing the distance between them and sliding onto the edge of the bed so he could reach up and lay a hand against Bull’s good cheek.  “I’m so sorry for everything Amatus, if I hadn’t suggested…”_

_“Peace, Kadan,” Bull rumbled, his own hand coming up to rest against Dorian’s.  “If we hadn’t been there Krem would have died.”_

_“Krem?”_

_Bull shrugged.  “He was by to see me this morning.  Wanted to make sure I was ok.”_

_Dorian wasn’t sure how he felt about that.  On one hand it was a nice gesture but the runaway Entitled was the reason Bull was in this bed in the first place.  And the young man being nice was going to make what he had to say even harder.  “So, about Cremisius, Captain Hawke wants him returned to his family.”_

_“Dorian…”_

_“They have an alert out for him Bull, he’s the heir to the largest corporation on Minrathous.”_

_“I made a promise to him Kadan.”_

_“Damn it Bull, he’s not one of your strays to rescue.  He’s already cost you your eye, don’t let him cost you your commission.”_

_“Commission’s gone anyway and you know it,” Bull muttered sadly.  “Not much use for a pilot with one eye and they’ll never clear me for field work again.”_

_“Bull…”_

_“I’m on volunteer time Kadan, I’ve done my mandatory.”_

_“Bull you can’t be thinking of…”_

_Dorian broke off when one of Bull’s huge hands wrapped around his neck and tugged him down for a kiss.  One led to another and soon Dorian was lying flush to Bull’s chest, one silver hand pressing firmly against his lower back and the pair finally broke for air.  Not willing to separate yet Dorian leaned his forehead against Bull’s as he said the words he never thought to hear fall from his own lips, “I’ll go with you, give up my commission.”_

_“You can’t do that Kadan, I know what making Captain means to you…”_

_“It’s nothing without you there with me…”_

_Bull sighed heavily and Dorian reluctantly sat up, knowing what his lover was going to say.  Except instead of saying anything Bull just studied him as if it was going to be the last time they ever saw each other.  And the words, when they finally came, weren’t what Dorian was expecting.  “Face hurts Kadan, any chance on you charming the nurse out of some more meds?”_

_Dorian’s brows knitted, something about this wasn’t right, but he wasn’t going to leave his lover in pain.  “Back in a flash Amatus.”_

 

 

“Captain, we’ve achieved standard orbit.  Ship is dark and has not attracted any interest.”

With a low growl Dorian keyed his communicator and growled, “Copy bridge.  I’ll be transporting down shortly.”

“I’ll alert Security Chief Pentaghast to have a team ready.”

“Negative bridge, no team.  I’ll be transporting solo.”

“Captain?”

“Did I stutter Lieutenant?”

“No sir!”

“Then kindly stop trying to run my ship for me.  Pavus out.”

With a low growl Dorian stood, only barely resisting the urge to throw his glass against the bulkhead.  He supposed he’d owe Davis an apology later, but damn it, if he went blazing into The Herald’s Rest with a full team Bull would be gone before they could all get through the door.

 _So what’s new there_ , his mind helpfully filled in, prompting Dorian to throw the glass after all, the sound of it shattering against the metal bulkhead drawing a dark grin from him before he stormed into his bedroom.

Pulling a pair of casual black linen pants and a deep purple tunic from his closet Dorian told himself ten years was a long time to hold a grudge.  Then again, it wasn’t often in life that you went to find your lover pain meds and came back to an empty bed.  Five minutes.  He’d been gone five minutes, and by the time he’d been able to call security and have them lock down the hospital both Bull and Cremisius were gone.

At first Dorian had clung to the belief that Bull had just disappeared to give Dorian plausible deniability, but as weeks had turned into months with no contact Dorian had been forced to accept that Bull had no intention of contacting him.  And fuck if that didn’t hurt.  Two years.  They had been lovers for two years and Bull had just walked away like that was nothing…like Dorian was nothing.

With a low growl Dorian stripped out of his uniform and quickly dressed in his casual clothes.  Pulling his hair up into a messy bun he looked at himself critically in the floor length mirror.  The subtle changes wouldn’t fool Bull or Cremisius but he should at least fit in with the locals on Antiva, which was important as the planet refused to establish extradition laws with Aegis. 

Giving his reflection a smirk Dorian turned and headed toward the lifts, pausing only long enough to strap his blades to his back, easily accessible under his tunic but not in blatant sight.  He had heard that Antiva still ran things the old way, an eye for an eye, but as a stranger he would already be suspect, no need to upset the natives more than required.  As he stepped into the lift Dorian idly wondered just how surprised the natives had been the first time they came face to face with Bull.

 

 

Dorian had been sitting in the corner of the second floor nursing his second whiskey when Bull stepped in the door followed by a half dozen men and women, all of them laughing at something that had happened before they walked in.  The first thing Dorian noted was that Cremisius was with him, which should make his job easier except that the second thing he noted was that the last ten years had been kind to Bull.  Not that he wanted Bull to look like shit, but fuck, did he have to look quite so good?

Kaffas.  Dorian knew he’d been staring too hard when the smile melted from Bull’s face and the man’s one eye began to dart around the room.  The man always had had a second sense about when he was being watched.  Sinking back against the wall Dorian kept the group only in his periphery as he waited for Bull to relax his vigilance.

Because he was actively trying to not watch Bull Dorian caught it when the bartender nodded his head in Dorian’s direction the moment the petite blond elf hybrid in Bull’s party approached the bar.  Fuck.  He should have known Bull would have the staff in his pocket, all his intel said that Bull and his Chargers spent most of their free time here.

Dorian was tempted to fade to the opposite side of the room but it had taken him two years to find Bull in the first place, and once Bull knew he’d been made he didn’t think he’d be as sloppy the next time.  So instead he went with his instincts, the ones that said that when Bull felt cornered he’d go on the offensive and with low chant he kicked up the light level in his little corner of the bar.  It was almost comical the way the elf’s eyes widened when she caught sight of him, then with a little gasp that Dorian could see even from where he sat she scurried back towards Bull’s corner.

Before he could count to five he saw the tips of Bull’s horns appear in the stairway, followed quickly by the rest of the huge Qunari and as Dorian took in the downward set of his lips and the way that one grey eye narrowed as soon as Bull saw him Dorian began to rethink the wisdom of his actions.

“Dalish told me she thought it was you,” Bull growled, leaning his ass against the railing opposite Dorian’s chair rather than sitting.

“It’s been a long time Bull,” Dorian countered, pleased that he didn’t stutter.

“What are you doing here Dorian?”

Dorian told himself it was sick to get that warm fuzzy feeling in his belly when Bull’s words held no warmth.  “Well, it’s certainly not for the whiskey.  This shit would make Bottelli seem good.”

“So sorry we disappointed.  Probably best you leave now.”

Dorian sighed.  Fine, no more small talk.  “I can’t leave without Cremisius.”

Bull just laughed.

Dorian frowned.  “I’m serious Bull.  This goes way above me.  Apparently the Aclassi’s never had him removed as heir and with his parents gone now the company is his.”

“I don’t want it, never did.”

Dorian looked toward the stairs to see Cremisius stepping up them.  If the years had been kind to Bull they had practically worshipped Krem.  The thin young man he’d been had bulked out, his face achieving a more angular appearance that suited him.  “What part of this isn’t my call to make don’t you understand?  Aclassi Technologies has requested Aegis locate the missing heir and return him to Minrathous immediately.”

“I’ll just turn them down.”

“That’s your call,” Dorian shrugged.  “My job’s not to make you stay it’s just to get you to the party.”

“He can’t force you Krem, Aegis has no power on Antiva,” Bull finally piped up, and when Dorian turned to look at him he found the Qunari glaring at him past folded arms.

“Kaffas, it’s been ten years Bull.  I let you…”

“You didn’t _let_ me do anything…”

 _“How the fuck do you think I found you?”_ Dorian growled, his words echoing through the surprisingly quiet bar and drawing a surprised look from Bull.

Surprise quickly morphed to anger and Dorian found himself scrambling to his feet as Bull took a threatening step toward him.  “What the _fuck_ are you talking about Pavus?”

“You really think you’ve been left alone for the last ten years because Aegis doesn’t care that one of their agents stole off with an Entitled?  That all those fucking supply runs you make on the Skyhold make it through Aegis space on a whim?  That you’re lucky?  I’ve always known where you were Bull.  Ok, that’s a lie.  At first I had no clue and then I spent the next two years in a bottle trying to tell myself I didn’t care.  But then, when I realized it didn’t matter to you if I poured myself into an early grave I hired the best people I could to find out where you’d gone to ground.”

“So you’ve been spying on me…for eight fucking years?”  Bull demanded, taking another step closer.

Refusing to back down Dorian met him with another step, raising his hand to poke his finger in the center of Bull’s chest.  “I’ve been protecting you you stubborn fucking prick.”

Bull’s eye widened again, but this time Dorian could read something other than surprise or anger in its depths.  His own words when they were came were barely loud enough to hear.  “You left me but I couldn’t let them take you in.”

“Kadan…”

Shaking his head Dorian let his finger slip from Bull’s chest as he turned away, unwilling to let Bull witness the emotions that he knew had to be showing.  He never had been able to hide anything from Bull.  “Don’t Bull.  I did what I did because it was the right thing to do.  But now Cremisius needs to come with me for the same reason.”

“Dor…”

Krem's heavy sigh of resignation stopped Bull's words immediately.  “He's right Chief, I have to go back.  Like it or not it’s my company.  I have to at least make sure that it’s in good hands.  If I don’t people could lose their jobs.”

“They tried to kill you Krem,” Bull’s voice was heavy with pain.

“Yeah, and they took your eye you big oaf.  But we have to stop running sometime.”

“I’ll go with you…”

Krem snorted.  “Not this time Chief.  Besides, you weren’t the only one in the bar that day.”

Dorian turned so he could glance at Krem without having to look at Bull.  “I’ll escort you personally.  And if abdicating is what you want to do then I’ll make certain you end up wherever it is you want to go.”

Krem nodded his head and smiled softly.  “Guess I better go say my goodbyes.”

“I’ll just wait for you outside,” Dorian whispered, taking a step towards the stairs himself only to find his arm wrapped firmly in Bull’s grip.

“Not so fast,” Bull grumbled as Krem disappeared out of sight.

“Look Bull, I did what I had to do and I’m not going to apologize, but with Cremisius returning there’s no reason for the company to care about where you are.  You can consider yourself free of them…and me.”

“And what if I don’t want to be?”

Dorian refused to look because there was no way Bull was saying what he thought he was saying.  “You said everything you needed to say when you left me standing in that hospice ten years ago Bull.”

“And what would you have done if I hadn’t?  Given up your commission?  The promise of that was the only reason your family let you leave Qarinus without a fight.  You think they wouldn’t have wanted you back if they knew you’d left Aegis?”

“What my family wants is hardly of importance to me,” Dorian snorted, telling himself he was only letting Bull retain possession of his arm because it would be unseemly to try and tug away.

“Yeah, tell that to Krem.”

“It’s not the same…”

“It’s exactly the same.  You’re Entitled Dorian and I’m some second rate hybrid who can’t even get a pilot license anymore.  You think your family would have just let us go?  That we could have made a life somewhere?”

“Well you certainly managed that without me didn’t you?” Dorian snarled, finally deciding that propriety could be damned as he wrenched his arm away from Bull so he could stomp toward the stairs.

“Thought we were all done running…Captain.”

Dorian froze, his foot on the top step.  Without bothering to turn around he whispered, “What did you call me?”

“You think you’re the only one to keep tabs?” Bull’s voice was soft, and far closer than it should have been but even so Dorian didn’t start when those large silver hands wrapped themselves around his shoulder.  “Did it never occur to you that wherever I went I was always within a day’s reach of you?”

“Why?”

“Because I had to know you were safe.”

“Why?”

“Because I love you Kadan, always have,” Bull whispered against Dorian’s ear.

“Amatus…”

“Go, take Krem to Minrathous and stay with him until his affairs are finalized and then come back, come back to me and we’ll find out about that whole white picket fence thing.”

Dorian snorted, though his body relaxed against Bull’s as if it had never known a day away.  “I don’t have a domestic bone in my body Amatus.”

“Then come back and we’ll take to the skies.  I don’t care where we end up as long as you’re with me.”

Turning so he could look up at that beloved grey face Dorian grabbed one of Bull’s horns and pulled his head down so he could kiss him softly before whispering against his lips, “Till the end Amatus, till the end.”


End file.
